The Tigrens' Glory (50 page)

Kyerion felt a strange warmth settle over his shoulders, sinking into his very flesh, and sighed with the knowledge that Glory was now a part of his physical body just as her soul was now a part of his, and Kirk’s and Cade’s soul.  A moment later the orange light flared so brightly that even within his own mind, with his eyes shut tightly, he was blinded.  Then he threw his head back and roared as he exploded into an orgasm so intense it encompassed his entire being, body, mind, and soul.  He barely heard Kirk and Cade add their roars to his, the intensity of the pleasure so great that he feared, for a fraction of a second, that they would not survive.  Then the fear, too, was gone, leaving only pleasure and joy in its wake.

Chapter Thirty Eight

Glory’s head falling backward onto his shoulder brought Kyerion back to the present time and place.  He wrapped his arms around her and lifted her gently until both he and Kirk slipped from her body.  His knees still shook from the enormity of the experience they’d just shared, so he didn’t attempt to do more than take the two steps to the bed so he could lie down with her in his arms.  Cade lowered himself from the chair with a helping hand from Kirk, and then they joined Kyerion and Glory on the bed.  Glory was unconscious, but Kyerion needed a few more moments before he could muster the energy to send Water into her to make sure she was all right.  He didn’t worry about it though.  That new part of himself that was now joined with Glory and his brothers told him that all was well.

Once he’d rested for a few minutes, and his limbs stopped trembling, he opened his eyes and forced himself to think.  He found it much easier than usual to gather Water and send it through Glory, checking her carefully.  He learned far more than he was used to with such a small effort.  His biggest fear was that they might have been too rough with her, so he was relieved to find that she was unharmed.  Even if they’d caused a bruise from holding her too tightly, it had already healed, which was a good sign.

“How is she?” Kirk asked in a low voice from the other side of Glory’s sleeping form.

“She’s perfect,” Kyerion replied.

“That much I already know,” Kirk said, smiling.  “Aside from that?  We didn’t hurt her, did we?”

“No, we didn’t hurt her,” Kyerion replied, then smiled as Glory opened her eyes and stretched her arms above her head. 

“That was amazing,” she said, lowering her arms.  Her eyes widened when she spotted the
lau-lotu
on her arms.  “Beautiful,” she murmured as she studied the tigrencas that now graced both arms, Cade’s on the left, and Kirk’s on the right.  She sat up and turned her head so that she could see her shoulders, then grinned happily. 

“I take it you like your binding marks,” Cade asked, moving so that he sat in front of her on the bed.

“When I arrived on Jasan I was met by the Dracons,” she said.  “One of the first things I noticed about Lariah were the dracons on her arms and shoulders.  They were breathtaking.  The second time I saw her they were gone.  I asked her about them and while she was explaining what they were, I couldn’t help wondering what it would be like to have markings like that on my own body.  Something that I could look at whenever I wanted to prove to myself that I wasn’t alone any more.  Only I imagined mine as looking like the ones I now have rather than the dracons she wore.”

“Good thing,” Kyerion said, sitting up and kissing her on the nose.  As he started to move back she put a hand out and stopped him, then ran her fingers over his shoulder. 

“This is how I will look?” she asked softly, struck by the beauty of the black and bronze striped tigrenca with her bronze eyes that laid across his shoulders. 

“Yes,” Kyerion said, then looked at Kirk and Cade who both held their arms up so they could all see Glory’s tigrenca staring out at them.  It was more lithe and feminine than the tigrenca on her arms, yet powerful in its own right.  “You are beautiful in both forms.”

“Do you know that until I met you three, I’d never been called beautiful before,” she said.  “I think I’m growing to like it.

“Another good thing,” Kyerion said. 

“When will you teach me to shift?” she asked eagerly, then yawned.

“Not right now,” Kirk chuckled.  “It’s the middle of the night.”

“Oh,” Glory said, a little disappointed, but tired as well.

“If you’re hungry we can get some food for you now,” Kyerion said.

“No, I’m not hungry,” Glory said after a moment.  “I’m mostly tired.  And really
really
happy.”

“Would it make you happier to know that in about nine months we will be parents?” Kyerion asked.

Glory’s eyes widened.  “Really?”

“Yes, really,” Kyerion said.  “I would not joke about such a thing.”

Glory pressed one hand to her flat stomach and smiled.  “Yes, it makes me happier,” she said softly.  “A lot happier than I would have expected, actually.”  She looked at Kirk, then Cade, both of whom were staring at her with the strangest expressions on their faces.

“Are you happy?” she asked.

“Completely happy,
Zeta
” Kirk said.  “And awed.  In the past few hours we’ve gained everything we ever wanted.  Everything we’d given up hope of having.  It’s shocking, but in a good way.”

“What he said,” Cade said with a grin.  “Thank you, Glory.”

“For what?” she asked.

“For everything,” Cade said simply.  Then he leaned in, kissed her gently, and climbed off the bed. 

“Lie down now,
Sendola
,” Kyerion said.  “We’ll tend to you now, as is our right, and then we will all sleep.”

“Or, you could let me take a shower,” she said before yawning again.  She couldn’t remember the last time she’d felt so tired.

Kyerion scowled sternly, but she saw the humor in his eyes.  “This is tradition,” he said.  “Would you deny us this ritual?”

Glory rolled her eyes, an expression, she was learning, that conveyed much more than she’d ever guessed possible.  She laid back down and relaxed, deciding she was too tired for a shower anyway.  By the time Kirk and Cade returned from the bathroom with warm washcloths, she was sound asleep.

***

Two days later…

“We’ve received a message from High Prince Garen,” Kyerion said as he, Kirk, and Cade joined Glory in the Pinnacle where she stood watching Ramouri shrink in the distance.  As much as she wished Pusan-Lo had come with her to Jasan, she was glad that he’d accepted the post of Royal Advisor to King Lorence.  Bashir had left a mess behind, and Lorence needed someone as wise and calm as Pusan-Lo to help him clean it up.

“A message?” she asked.

Kyerion placed a gentle hand on her shoulder.  “Do you regret your decision to leave Ramouri?”

“Not for a moment,” Glory said.  “I wish I hadn’t had to leave Pusan-Lo, but I know things will be good for him there now.  He’ll be useful, and needed, and that’s important to him.  I’m Clan Jasani now, and you are my Rami.  Jasan is where we belong, and where our children will belong.”

“Whenever you want to visit, you need but say the word,
Sendola
,” Kyerion promised.  “And Pusan-Lo knows he will be forever welcome in our home.”

“Thank you,” Glory said, reaching up to pat the hand on her shoulder “What does High Prince Garen have to say?”

“A special Enclave has been called by the Three,” Kyerion replied.  “All Clan Jasani are requested to gather in the Hidden City in three weeks.”

“What is Enclave?”

“Enclave is an ancient tradition,” Kyerion replied.  “It’s when all Clan Jasani gather to celebrate, and the leaders, or consuls, of the different clans meet to discuss any problems.  It was also a time for unmated male-sets to search for their
berezi
from among the women of other clans.  In our time Enclave was held by the women, but it’s different now.”

“Then it’s something to look forward to,” Glory said, smiling.  “I’m also looking forward to seeing Lariah, and Saige and Summer.  All of the other women.  I miss them.  It’s going to be a long three weeks.” 

“Perhaps learning to shift will help to make the time pass more quickly,” Kyerion suggested. 

Glory spun around to face him, her eyes lighting up.  “Oh, I’d like that very much.”  She paused, frowning.  “Is it safe, though?  Lariah told the women who were pregnant not to shift that day in Badia when we were attacked.”

“After the first couple of months it can be dangerous,” Kirk said.  “But you are safe for now.”

“Great!” Glory exclaimed, her face lighting up again.  “Come on, let’s go do that now.”  The Pinnacle filled with male laughter as Kyerion, Kirk, and Cade hurried to catch up with their Arima.

Chapter Thirty Nine

“What is this place?” Kyerion asked Garen as they walked through the Hidden City.  They’d arrived on Jasan that afternoon, barely in time for the Enclave scheduled for that evening after a long jump point delay.  The Dracons had speed traveled them directly to the palace and, after a quick bite to eat, Glory had been hustled off by the other Arimas to prepare for the evening’s event. 

The Tigren would be formally introduced to the Clans later in the evening, but other than that, the men had little to do except show up at the arena on time.  Kyerion, Kirk, and Cade disliked being parted from Glory for so long, especially since they didn’t know where she was or what she was doing.  It wasn’t long before they began pacing nervously, the need to seek out their Arima and check on her growing rapidly.  They were glad when the Dracons offered to leave early and walk to the arena so they could see the Hidden City.

“When the first pods landed here, on Jasan, this planet was little more than a barren rock,” Garen said.  “The male-sets who were soul-linked had enough magic to carve this cavern from the solid rock of the mountain, providing the survivors with a secure place to live while they terraformed the planet.  Without their Arimas, the strong magic soon faded, so it took several hundred years to create a breathable atmosphere.”

Kyerion shook his head as he strained to see the distant walls and ceiling of the enormous cavern.  Even with strong magic, it was an astounding feat. 

“The Hidden City is now considered the capital of Clan Jasani,” Garen continued.  “This is where we hold Enclave, regular consul meetings, and other important events.”

“Like the meeting called by the Three?” Kirk asked.

“Exactly,” Garen said.  “Although, from what Lariah has told me, this meeting has been called by Riata, through Saige Lobo, and the Three.”

“Riata?” Kyerion asked.

“Riata was an Alverian Empath Healer,” Garen said, smiling sadly.  “She was an exceptional being who did so much for our people.  As you know, during the time we were without Arimas our race was kept alive only because we were able to mate with human women, who bore Jasan sons.  But the bearing of Jasani triplets is not easy for human women.  Their bodies cannot shift to accommodate the infants.  We lost many women, and many sons, to complications of pregnancy and childbirth, which was tragic not only for those snatched untimely from this plane, but also for the male-sets left without their mates to live out the rest of their lives companionless and childless.  Riata’s skill and gifts saved the lives of countless women and children, reducing mortality from these causes almost to zero.  Not only that, but it’s doubtful that our attempt to convert Lariah would have succeeded without Riata’s aid. 

“After she passed to the next plane, she became Saige Lobo’s Spirit Guide.  No one knew what that meant, having never heard of such a thing before, but we soon learned the value of Riata’s advice and guidance.  Whenever Saige shared a message from Riata, we listened.”

“Spirit Guides are always to be honored,” Kyerion said. 

“You’ve heard of Spirit Guides then?”

“Yes, though I won’t say they were common,” Kyerion replied.  “The last that we know of occurred long before our time.  He counseled strongly for peace between Ugaztun and Narrasti when the peoples of our two worlds first met.  He warned that a time would come when brotherhood between us, or lack thereof, would determine the future existence of both races.”

“He was correct,” Garen said, then sighed heavily.  “It’s sad to think of how much was lost when Ugaztun was destroyed.”

“Then do not think of it,” Kyerion said.  “It does no good to look back, Highness, and as you know, I speak from experience.  Our feet are currently planted in the now.  Tomorrow stretches before us.  There is value in the lessons of the past, of course.  But it is
tomorrow
that you must lead our people toward, not yesterday.”

“Your counsel is wise, Kelt Kyerion,” Garen said.  “For the first time, I feel as though our people have a future to look forward to.  It is a good feeling.”

“And yet, you are worried over what this Riata has to say,” Kyerion said.  Garen looked at him in surprise.  “Since becoming soul-linked, our Druid gifts have grown stronger than ever, Highness,” he said with a shrug.  “You hide it very well, but we sense your feelings.  Why are you worried?”

“I don’t know,” Garen said.  “Perhaps it’s because I want our people to have a time to rest, relax, and enjoy life for a time, Kyerion.  The Xanti are gone, more male-sets find their Arimas every day, more children, both male and female, are born all the time, and the nine clans are reunited.”

“And you think Riata will deliver bad news of some sort?”

“It concerns me, yes,” Garen said.  “I trust Riata.  Completely.  Whatever she says, good or bad, I will take seriously.”

***

Glory paced steadily before the crowd of people lining the street toward the arena, very glad that she’d practiced shifting so much on board the
Ugaztun
.  Lariah walked beside her in her dracon alter-form, somehow managing to look both stately and fearsome at the same time, while the women too pregnant to shift, Saige, Honey, Hope, and Aisling, walked behind them.  Summer and Faith, also in their alter-forms, brought up the rear of their little procession, a small strip of bright red fur draped around the back of the falcoran’s neck.